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A physician gives up a lot to practice medicine but when does the joy of serving patients give way to stress and depression, and why must we let it come to that? More and more doctors are facing burnout and turning to physician staffing companies such as Weatherby Healthcare looking for a career change. Though the reasons why vary, it often involves escaping from the relentless pressures of the job.

It’s widely accepted that an effective way to release stress is through activities you enjoy, but apparently this is an elusive concept for many physicians. As evidence for this, we partnered with a top market research company to survey 1,000 U.S. physicians and discovered that more than 82 percent forgo personal health activities because of busy work schedules. This is a huge problem because while physicians tell patients they must find ways to overcome stress they are not practicing this healthy advice themselves.

For example, a top way to de-stress is exercise and a whopping 44 percent of physicians surveyed say they don’t have time to work out. Here are more findings:

43 percent don’t go on vacations

38 percent miss out on family time

41 percent would like more time for volunteer work

42 percent forgo their hobbies

Based on these responses, is it any surprise that physicians feel they must retire, close their practice, or even change careers to avoid burnout? Fortunately, there is an alternative and it’s called locum tenens—a term given to physicians who cover the duties of absent doctors or supplement during patient influx.

Working locums enables physicians to choose when, where and how often they practice, which helps them achieve a better work/life balance and cope with daily demands. It’s alarming that 46 percent of the physicians we surveyed say they don’t feel a flexible work schedule is possible in the medical field; however, if given the opportunity, many would take it:

94 percent said they would like a more accommodating schedule while maintaining credibility and regular patients

45 percent said they are interested in working in a different city or town

54 percent would make the move for an adventure

The good news is that these career aspirations are very much achievable. As a physician, you don’t need to sacrifice your personal health to practice medicine. Consult locum agencies like Weatherby Healthcare to learn about different practice options available and make a lifestyle choice that works for you. With the growing physician shortage and demand for quality patient care, we simply cannot afford to lose our skilled doctors to burnout.

Pat Kennedy is president of Weatherby Healthcare (www.weatherbyhealthcare.com), an elite staffing firm specializing in providing quality locum tenens physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners to the nation’s top hospitals and healthcare facilities. The Weatherby Healthcare Survey was conducted by Wakefield Research among 1,000 U.S. physicians between February 3rd and February 17th 2012, using an email invitation and an online survey. Results of any sample are subject to sampling variation. A full methodology is available upon request.